The New Face of Crime :: Threats and Trends in the 21st Century :: ‘Gbenga Sesan Program Manager / Team Leader Lagos Digital Village / Paradigm Initiative Nigeria | United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice. UN Information Centre, Nigeria. May

Congress on Crime? The basket of negative weights that crime brings to any individual, people-group or nation inhibit growth – economic, socio- cultural, and/or psychological The rolling effect of crime in Nigeria makes the issue a major concern to all – especially the innocent This discussion, among others (and in synch with the Thailand Congress) is an important opportunity for Nigeria to address this hydra- headed monster With all the meetings, declarations, drive, boldness, campaign and passion, why does crime appear to be big business?

The New Face… Crime has always taken advantage of the tool of the day – post, fax, and now the Internet Century 21’s new opportunities also provide loop holes for crime: Internet freedom and presumed anonymity (free , chat rooms) They are mostly young, wear innocent statures/faces, are smart, believe they will always beat the system, are proud of their mentors, and have many excuses – those are today’s criminals New operations mostly feed on greed; come in deceptive s, from bogus promises, through identity theft, and from anonymous offices (cyber-cafes). But office/home- originated cyber crime cannot be ruled out

Threats of the New… Crime prevention and criminal justice cannot afford to be a second behind when it comes to new technologies – along with legislation, citizens’ value system, and right environment With the proliferation of cybercafés, increased awareness on internet usage, existing criminal tendencies, and lack of precedence in cyber crime prosecution, cyber-criminals believe the party just started For Dale Miskell, cyber crime is the nasty underbelly of the Internet (Pete Barlas, Investor's Business Daily: “FBI Agent Led Cyber Crime Raid That Broke Big Case In Nigeria”. Monday April 11, )cyber crime is the nasty underbelly of the Internet

Cyber-crime flow chart. Owei V, Oyesanya F: NCS-NITPA Annual Meeting, Abuja. June 2004

An End to Cyber Crime? Can there truly be an end to (or major reduction in) cyber crime? Are present efforts the way to go? What exactly is being done and how effective is it? Are efforts networked? – detection, investigation, arrest, prosecution EFCC: The unbelievable prosecutions… NAFDAC: New energy, effective system… NCWG: Taking Cyber crime serious… Nigerian Anti-Scam Network: Young and concerned. Online forum for discussions, website preaching the gospel (Cybercrime.org.ng) and portal providing alternative channels (Treasure.org.ng) Moving beyond government efforts to MSP models – government, agencies and citizens

Conclusion The joint efforts of various agencies (and groups) working with crime prevention and criminal justice cannot be over-emphasized Prevailing excuses need a second look: Would cyber crime truly reduce if every Yahoo Boy had a good job or stable livelihood? Would a Scam-for-Research model be possible? Just like gun-for-food, can young men be made to give up scam for purposeful and fulfilling research into the menace? The basket of solutions being proposed must meet technical (data retention), socio- economic (alternatives) and psychological (a New Nigeria we can be proud of) needs

The New Face of Crime :: Threats and Trends in the 21st Century :: ‘Gbenga Sesan Program Manager / Team Leader Lagos Digital Village / Paradigm Initiative Nigeria | United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice. UN Information Centre, Nigeria. May Thank You